News

Major names in the pharmaceutical industry are using electric tugs from MasterMover® to move chromatography columns, thanks to the tugs’ ideal combination of heavy load handling, compact size, precise maneuverability and stainless steel construction.

Chromatography columns, used to purify chemical compounds before use in pharmaceutical manufacture, are a vital step in the production process but can be a time-consuming operation. To avoid downtime and ensure scalability, manufacturers depend on specially designed process-scale chromatography columns capable of purifying large volumes at high velocity.

Such equipment presents a unique challenge because, while the overall weight of a column can be as much as 8,000 kg, it incorporates a large number of fragile glass components that must be handled delicately. Furthermore, the columns must be moved within laboratory environments subject to strict cleanroom conditions, limiting the type of handling equipment that can be used.

The MasterTug from MasterMover® is a pedestrian-operated electric tug, which offers significant advantages for moving chromatography columns. As the tug works on the principle of weight transfer, a single operator can easily tow the column on a trolley in a controlled and low-speed manner, in order to guide the sensitive columns into place.

Similarly, because it is electrically powered and takes up minimal floor space, it can be taken into a cleanroom without compromising hygiene or the risk of knocking into valuable pharmaceutical equipment.

The MasterTug can also be specified in cleanroom grade stainless steel in order to meet all legal and hygiene requirements within the pharmaceutical industry.